Dr. Robert Beckstead, of the Prestage Department of Poultry Science, has developed a challenge model to evaluate potential treatment for Cochlosoma anatis, a protozoan parasite of turkeys and free-living birds. The parasite is generally accepted as a cause of stunting resulting from enteritis with malabsorption. Dr. Becksted is currently investigating whether Cochlosoma is a primary pathogen or exerts its effect in the presence of other pathogenic protozoa, viruses or bacteria in the intestinal tract, possibly compounded by immunosuppression or environmental and nutritional factors.
The disease challenge model to evaluate candidate treatments is based on counting the number of parasites in a defined section of the small intestine from treated poults and comparing their number and viability compared to untreated controls.
Field research to extend the initial laboratory findings were limited by COVID restrictions during 2020 and through 2021. It has yet to be determined whether C. anatis has a reservoir host and research is necessary to determine the duration of survival on commercial turkey farms.
Research was funded by USPOULTRY Foundation as Project BRF010.